This invention relates to sealing devices; and more particularly, it relates to a packing member for forming a seal between the inner wall of an opening and the outer surface of a member extending therethrough.
The subject packing member has at least one self-lubricating sealing surface to provide less frictional force when in slidable contact with a separate movable member.
It has heretofore been common practice to form a seal between the wall of an opening and a shaft or other cylindrical member extending therethrough by positioning a packing member between the wall of the opening and outer surface of the member.
Typically, packing members are annular bodies integrally formed from an elastic material such as rubber or plastic. Packing members generally have a V-shaped or truncated V-shaped cross-section. Packing members may also have a plurality of holes formed therein which extend axially into the member from equally spaced points along a circle extending around an end wall of the member.
In addition to the above basic packing members, various other fluid-sealing devices in the prior art have an annular body, and further comprise a garter spring. Sealing devices of this type have located the garter spring in a continuous groove formed in one end of the annular body by mere insertion of the spring between the inner and outer wall surfaces of the groove and against the bottom of the groove.